Indoor Air Quality Measurements
The vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs indoors, most of it from the inhalation of airborne particles that contain the coronavirus (COVID-19). The best way to prevent the virus from spreading in a home or business would be to simply keep infected people away.
However, this is hard to do when an estimated 40% of cases are asymptomatic and asymptomatic people can still spread the coronavirus to others.
Masks help to keep the virus from spreading into the environment, but they are not 100% effective. If an infected person is inside a building, inevitably some virus will escape into the air.
Once the virus escapes into the air inside a building, you have two options: bring in fresh air from outside or remove the virus from the air inside the building.
The safest indoor space is one that constantly has lots of outside air replacing the stale air inside.
In commercial buildings, outside air is usually pumped in through heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. In homes, outside air gets in through open windows and doors, in addition to seeping in through various nooks and crannies.
Simply put, the more fresh, outside air inside a building, the better. Bringing in this air dilutes any contaminant in a building, whether a virus or something else, and reduces the exposure of anyone inside.
Every time you exhale, you release carbon dioxide (CO2) into the air. Since the coronavirus is most often spread by breathing, coughing or talking, you can use carbon dioxide (CO2) levels to see if the room is filling up with potentially infectious exhalations. The carbon dioxide (CO2) level lets you estimate if enough fresh outside air is getting in. ENTER ANALOX.
UK HSE says you should, “Use carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors to identify the CO2 levels to help decide if ventilation is poor.”
OSHA/ASHRAE recommend the maximum level of CO2 in a closed room is 1000ppm.
Outdoors, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are just above 400 parts per million (ppm). A well-ventilated room will have around 800 ppm of carbon dioxide (CO2). Any higher than that and it is a sign the room might need more ventilation.
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Last year, researchers in Taiwan reported on the effect of ventilation on a tuberculosis outbreak at Taipei University. Many of the rooms in the school were under ventilated and had carbon dioxide (CO2) levels above 3,000 ppm. When engineers improved air circulation and got carbon dioxide (CO2) levels under 600 ppm, the outbreak completely stopped. According to the research, the increase in ventilation was responsible for 97% of the decrease in transmission.
Since the Coronavirus is spread through the air, higher carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in a room likely mean there is a higher chance of transmission if an infected person is inside. Both the World Health Organization and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that poor ventilation increases the risk of transmitting the Coronavirus.
Clean air is good for our bodies and our minds!
Carbon Dioxide Solutions
A portable, personal safety monitor for carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment.
A portable, personal safety monitor for both carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment and oxygen (O2) enrichment and depletion.
If you need a simple, ready to install and cost-effective gas safety monitor – we’ve got you covered.
The Ax60+ is easy to install and already programmed for your local regulations.
The DOM can be retro fitted to any existing Ax60+ installations and provides real-time monitoring of the Ax60+ and communicates with customers remote systems such as a Building Management System (BMS).
A wall mountable carbon dioxide (CO2) monitor and alarm.
A single point wall mounted safety monitor for carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment. Typically found in restaurants, pubs, bars, fast food establishments, breweries, hospitality venues, laboratories and medical centers.
Due to American legislation, this is not suitable for the American market, please look at the Ax60+.
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